Medieval philosopher who died after 1280 (other than Albert the Great)

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Greatest Contributions and Why

  I believe Duns Scotus's greatest contributions lie in three key areas:

1. The Concept of Univocity of Being: Scotus argued that "being" is a univocal concept, meaning it applies to God and creatures in the same fundamental sense, even if infinitely more perfectly in God. This was a radical departure from the prevailing view of analogy of being, championed by Aquinas, which held that "being" applied to God and creatures in related but not identical ways.
   • Why it's a great contribution: By asserting univocity, Scotus aimed to make metaphysical and theological discourse more rigorous and less ambiguous. If "being" is fundamentally the same concept, then reason can more reliably grasp truths about God, even if imperfectly. This paved the way for a more direct, though cautious, application of philosophical categories to theology and influenced later rationalist thinkers who sought clear and distinct ideas. It underscores his commitment to intellectual precision.
2. The Doctrine of Haecceity (Thisness): Scotus introduced the concept of haecceity (from the Latin haec, "this"), an individualizing difference that makes something uniquely this individual, distinct from all other individuals of the same species. For example, what makes this specific human being (e.g., Socrates) uniquely Socrates, beyond merely sharing the universal "human nature"? Scotus posited that haecceity is a positive, unanalyzable "thisness" or "individual nature" that individuates a being.
   • Why it's a great contribution: This concept provided a sophisticated philosophical account of individuation, a problem that vexed medieval philosophers. It offered a robust explanation for the uniqueness of each particular thing, which was highly significant for understanding creation and the Incarnation in theology (the unique "thisness" of Christ). Philosophically, it challenges the idea that individuals are merely instantiations of universals, giving concrete particularity a primary ontological status. It continues to be relevant in contemporary metaphysics regarding the nature of individuality.
3. The Primacy of the Will and Voluntarism: Scotus is often associated with voluntarism, the philosophical position that emphasizes the primacy of the will, particularly God's will, over the intellect. While Aquinas emphasized God's intellect as primary (God wills what is good because He understands it to be good), Scotus argued that God's will is absolutely free and primary. God's will is good because God wills it, not because it conforms to a pre-existing intellectual standard. This also applied to human freedom; for Scotus, the will is inherently free and not determined by the intellect.

Sample Answer

       

John Duns Scotus (c. 1266 – 1308)

  John Duns Scotus, often called the "Subtle Doctor" (Doctor Subtilis), was a highly influential Franciscan friar, philosopher, and theologian who died in 1308, after the 1280 cutoff. Born in Duns, Scotland, he studied and taught at Oxford, Paris, and Cologne. His philosophical and theological thought represented a significant development within the Scholastic tradition, particularly in its critical engagement with the ideas of Thomas Aquinas and others.

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History and Context

  Duns Scotus lived during a period of intense intellectual ferment in medieval Europe. The influx of Aristotelian philosophy, often mediated through Arab commentators, had profoundly impacted Christian theology, leading to efforts to reconcile faith and reason. While figures like Aquinas sought a harmonious synthesis, Scotus, though deeply appreciative of reason, emphasized the primacy of God's will and freedom to a greater extent. He was known for his incredibly rigorous and often complex logical arguments, earning him his moniker "Subtle Doctor." His work was instrumental in shaping the Franciscan intellectual tradition and profoundly influenced later philosophers, including those of the Renaissance and early modern periods.